WebWalker's Blog

Our good friend Ethel Moore (mom of Janice Weston) is in town! She came on a visit from faraway Jerusalem, thanks to the generosity of her children. She's been staying with Jan but on Wednesday she will leave for Kansas to see her children who live there; after a week or so she will be back in Arizona. Welcome, Ethel, and we hope you have a fabulous visit!!

Not sure how many knew, but Efrat (Airel's wife, Sherrry and Vernon's daughter in law) was supposed to have made a trip to the States over Thanksgiving. Unfortunately, it didn't happen. Three days before departure she was on a bicycling trip with friends and took a fall. She ended up on the operating room table, and now sports a prosthetic radius head in her elbow plus some tendons that needed repair. **OUCH** End result is that she IS recuperating, but we did not get to see her, and it looks like prospects for her trip are completely out. We all send you our sympathy, Efrat, and wishes for a full and speedy recovery! And if you can't come to see us... maybe a bunch of us will have to get together and trek to your part of the world. Efrat is one of the absolute sweetest people on the face of the earth, and I think that everyone in the Family should meet her. Hopefully it will happen, someday...

Rickey Lynn just sent me a note saying that Lori is in critical care at the Mayo Clinic Hospital. At this time she is allowed only one visitor at a time. She is in 2 West room 11 in the Critical Care area of the hospital. They are giving her blood at this time, as well as putting in a PIC line. They have her on I.V. fluids, and have scheduled her for an endoscopy of her stomach to check if she is bleeding internally. They are also scheduling her for a whole battery of other tests starting in the morning. Please continue holding her up in your prayers. UPDATE on 12/6/07: Lori is not doing well, and no visitors or phone calls are allowed now. The tests are being postponed as they try to improve her condition before proceeding. Please continue praying.

Saturday was probably the most difficult day ever in the lives of Robert, Brittany, Mary, and Cheryl, as the community paid its final respects to Melonie and she was laid to rest. But to watch how the family was so completely surrounded by LOVE and SUPPORT from so many, many people was an experience I shall never forget. So many friends and relatives came to pay their respects and say farewell to Melonie; each one speaking of how she had impacted their lives in such a positive way. The services themselves were emotionally moving, and it was augmented by the feeling that the family was tangibly wrapped in a cocoon of love by the whole community; every one who was there was emanating care and concern for the family even while they themselves mourned the loss of our dear Melonie. From the beautiful words spoken by the Pastor and Deacon, to the heartfelt eulogies, to the presentation of flowers at the cemetery, to the reception given by the Zuni School community, so many people were invol...

This is being published in today's Arizona Republic: View/Sign Guestbook Melonie Schollmeyer Melonie Schollmeyer, 49, of Scottsdale, Arizona passed away November 11, 2007. She was born in Honolulu, Hawaii on January 7, 1958. She is survived by her son, Robert; daughter, Brittany; their father, Thomas; mother, Mary Wroten; father, Leroy Wroten and sister, Cheryl Wroten. Visitation will be held at 10 AM, Saturday, November 17, 2007 at Hansen Desert Hills Chapel, 6500 E Bell Rd followed by Mass of the Resurrection at 12:30 PM at St Patrick's Church 10815 N 84th St, Scottsdale. In lieu of flowers, her children will be setting up an account for donations to be given in her name to the Arizona Humane Society. Arrangements entrusted to Hansen Desert Hills Mortuary, 480-991-5800. Published in The Arizona Republic on 11/16/2007. Notice • Guest Book • Funeral home info

Some asked for confirmation of the funeral arrangements for Melonie. The Medical Examiner's Office released her body this afternoon, and the Mortuary has confirmed that the arrangements will indeed proceed as outlined in my previous post. Heartfelt thanks and gratitude to everyone who has helped uphold Robert, Brittany, Mary, and Cheryl through this awful time. Keep the loving comments coming, it is a comfort to them to know they are surrounded by so much love. UPDATE as of 11/15/07: LOCATION FOR THE RECEPTION - The reception will be held in the Zuni Elementary School cafeteria, not the Church. The Zuni Elementary School is located at 92nd Street and Raintree. Please scroll down to the Nov. 13th entry for full details of times and locations of the viewing and services for Melonie.

This note just in from Rickey Lynn: Lori starts her tests at the Mayo Clinic on Nov. 19 and 20th. They continue on the 26th, 27th, and 28th. The selection team meets the Wednesday after the 28th, and hopefully we will know sometime the first week in December if Lori is selected to receive a new liver. At this point, we aren't even discussing the possibility of her not being selected, because the result would be unthinkable. As many of Lori's support team as can be there, will be at the Mayo Clinic for her first day of testing. They tell us that having lots of people showing support is one of the better ways of being selected, as it means there are lots of people willing to show their love and ability to be there for her in her times of need. So far, we have a small convoy of cars and trucks that will all be showing up at the clinic for her first day. The doctors and staff will be meeting with all of us to explain the entire process to us and to answer any questions. If you are ...

The arrangements for our beloved Melonie are now set. Please pass this information on to everyone you feel appropriate so we can get the word out quickly. Briefly, there will be a viewing at Hansen Mortuary, followed by a service at St Patrick's Church, then a procession to Paradise Gardens Cemetery for a brief internment ceremony, and then to Zuni Elementary School for a reception in their cafeteria, hosted by the loving community of Zuni Elementary School. Here are the full details, times and locations: Memorial Arrangements for Melonie Ann Schollmeyer on Saturday, November 17, 2007: Location: Hansen Desert Hills Mortuary , 6500 E Bell Rd, Scottsdale AZ 85254 (480-991-5800) Time: 09:00 am - 10:00 am: Private Viewing for family Time: 10:00 am - 11:30 am: Public Viewing for friends (Rosary will be conducted during the last portion of the public viewing, at 11:00 or 11:15 am) We will then proceed to the Church for the formal Service. 12:30 pm - 1:00 pm: Memorial Service and Mass at ...

I don't even know how to write this. We are all so very sad. Melonie Schollmeyer, a vibrant woman, our relative and friend, became suddenly ill over the weekend and passed away. Details at this point are sketchy. **(The following is updated info as of noon Monday)** Melonie's children, Brittany and Robert, just had their Confirmation on Saturday evening. Melonie was not feeling well enough to attend, and stayed at home with flu-like symptoms. Afterward the children, Mary, and Cheryl all visited with Mel before going taking the children to spend the night with Tom. The next day Cheryl and Mary could not raise Melonie by telephone and so asked Tom to go see how she was doing. He did so (thankfully the children stayed in the car) and found Melonie had passed away in the bedroom. The Medical Examiner's Office is doing an autopsy to determine the cause of death. Mary Wroten, Mel's mom, and her sister Cheryl Wroten, are understandably still in somewhat of a shock today. I am ...

I'm sitting in my comfortable office in my comfortable home, in my comfortable, quiet neighborhood, in a state and country that respects me and my opinion and allows me to live freely, voicing my opinions as I like, whether or not those opinions agree or collide with the majority or the governing body. And I do this during a time of war, not peace. How is this possible? In a world where there is so much grief and strife, how is it that I can live such a comfortable existence, especially when our country is in the middle of a war, the loss of which would mean the annihilation of this type of existence? The answer is our Armed Forces. It always has been. The men and women, who for over 231 years have put their lives on the line for the rest of us. From the men at Valley Forge to the men in Iraq, I owe gratitude. To every person who has ever served in the United States Armed Forces, I thank you. Your country thanks you. And to the men and women serving today in the War Against Terror...

Last night I went with my next door neighbor Lori Gray, her teenage son, and his friend to a local corn maze. It was FAB-O-LUS. There was a traditional corn maze - very large, over 3 miles of walking - as well as the farmer's famous "Fear Farm" corn maze, and several "haunted houses." The boys went through the Fear Farm maze and the haunted houses, while Lori and I tackled the much larger traditional corn maze. It was themed on the upcoming SuperBowl which will be held here in Glendale AZ on February 3 2008, and "tackled" is the word for the maze! Lori and I made it through in about 45 minutes, but met several people who had been "lost" in the area of the "football" for some time. Everyone who met anyone in the maze Of Course gave them wrong directions, plus it was night-time and the corn was waaaay over our heads, so it was really fun and challenging, trying to negotiate your way through the maze. On our ticket stub was a tiny ...

Mary is recuperating nicely and is no longer in the rehab facility. She is currently staying with son Don and daughter-in-law Lupe at their house, since she is still not able to negotiate the stairs to her own condo. She is taking several "tours" around the house using her walker, doing her rehab exercises, and generally in very good cheer... but then she always is in good cheer, bless her heart. May we all have her attitude when we are 93 years old! The news about Lori is not quite so heartening, but our hopes are still up as she awaits the possibility of a liver transplant. There are endless ups and down, sometimes several in one day, as she and her family battle for her life. Please continue to keep them all in your prayers.

Hey, great news - Mary Wroten spent the afternoon with me updating the pictures taken at the Family Reunion in Chicago (July 1 2007). We labelled them, and at the bottom of the page we even put a little Who's Who legend to better discern who is attached to whom. Have fun checking it out - here is a link: http://webwalkerdesign.com/Graphics/ChiTownReunion/index.htm and if you have any photos to add to the collection, please send them to me - thewebwalker @ cox.net (no spaces in the actual email address, I just added spaces here to thwart spammers).

The good news from Rickey Lynn is that Lori was recommended for referral to the liver transplant team and the surgeon. Apparently however there is a tremendous amount of testing to be gone through just to be put on the national transplant list, not to mention all the red tape or the huge financial burden. If you'd like full details of all that is involved, please leave a comment below this post and Rickey Lynn will add you to her mailing list for updates. Meantime, please continue to keep Lori and her family in your thoughts and prayers.

News from Rickey Lynn: Dear Family and Friends, Lori is home! In truth - she came home late in the afternoon before yesterday, but in accordance with the decision that we came to some time ago, June and I were sent on a 2 day vacation as soon as we got her settled in the house. Next, Jennifer will be sent on a 2 day vacation as soon as she can make her arrangements. It may sound callous, but the stress levels had reached the point where we all needed some down time. June and I spend ours in a hot soaking spa, and doing a lot of sleeping. Lori seems to be doing better now, partly with the help of 8 meds instead of 2, and partly with having been in a top notch hospital where she received excellent care. Our only problems have been with the insurance company, and they are always a pain in the tush! In our case, we had to fight for her meds, and they refused to pay for her rehab care in the hospital, but they will still pay for her physical therapist at the house, as well as a social worke...

I know this is looong past due, but I have *finally* compiled a slideshow of some pics of the Family Reunion held in Chicago on July 1, 2007... here is a link: http://webwalkerdesign.com/Graphics/ChiTownReunion/index.htm The pics are not in any order, and some are of the Reunion Day, and some of the days leading up to the reunion. Right now none of them are labelled as to who is who, but I figure you know who you are, ha! Seriously, I will be working to get them labelled soon. Meantime, enjoy the photos for a little trip down memory lane... or to "meet" some cousins if you didn't make it to the reunion! There are 80-odd pics in the slideshow, but it's the type where you can click the "next" button so you can go as fast or as slow as you want. I reduced the size of each pic so they would not take so long to load on the Internet, but if you want any of the photos in their original large size, just post a comment to this message (below, see where it s...

Okay, now that all the serious illnesses and crises in the family seem to have abated for a little bit, I figured it is time to upload some of those photos everyone has been hollering for! Click on this link for a few photos from our trout fishing trip to Lees Ferry with David in August: http://webwalkerdesign.com/Graphics/DaveFishTrip/pages/P1030263_JPG.htm

I quit going to the gym after this happened... LOL - just figured it was time for a little levity. Have a great day, folks! Susan

Finally, some good news from Rickey about Lori: Dear Family and Friends, Lori is doing much better than she has in a long time. Apparently, taking her to a different hospital has made a big difference, as they seem to know just what to do for her. Lori looks better than she has in probably 3 years. They not only have her kidneys pouring fluid out of her body, but she now has ankles instead of elephant feet, she no longer looks 20 months pregnant, and most important of all, she seems happy and able to comprehend what is said to her. It's hard to express our happiness. In addition to all of the above, she was seen twice by doctors from the liver transplant office today, will be seen by them again tomorrow, and will be seen by the actual transplant surgeon on Wednesday. We've tried for months to get to see these people, and now they are just coming out of the woodwork. I think that if there is one thing that is a problem, it's that the rest of us are all suffering from exhaust...

More from Rickey Lynn: Dear Family and Friends, Lori has been admitted to the hospital. The good news is that her kidneys are fine. The bad news is that the liver produces an enzyme which causes the kidneys to remove excess fluid from the body. Lori's liver has stopped producing this enzyme which has caused the problem. On the good side of things, she was out of the waiting room and moved to the back of the ER in 20 minutes from coming in the front door. Also on the good side of things, she was seen by the chief of staff, who apparently is familiar with this type of case, and seemed to know exactly what to do. Jennifer is very pleased with how they treated Lori, and feels Lori is in good hands now. The hospital has made arrangements for the liver specialist (whom Lori was supposed to see on the 16th) to see her in the morning at the hospital. While going to the hospital is never a good thing, in this case, it may be good in that Lori is going to see him a lot sooner than she was su...

This word just in from Rickey Lynn: Dear Family and Friends, Lori is on her way to the emergency room at Good Samaritan Hospital right now. In addition to having passed blood in her urine, today she has not been able to make any urine at all, which is potentially a serious situation. In addition, she still has some bleeding from the intestinal area. On the positive side, the liver doctor's office is across the street from the hospital, and this is the primary hospital he works from. As more news becomes available I will let everyone know. As always, your prayers and good wishes are sincerely solicited. Rickey Lynn, Jennifer, June, David, and Kendell

Mary Borrelli is now at a rehab facility, a sort of half-way point before they release her completely to home care. Here's the contact info: Brentwood Rehab 5400 W 87th Street Room 105, Bed 1 Burbank IL 60459 Direct telephone to Mary's room: 708-346-6531 Telephone for the rehab facility: 708-523-1200 I have the feeling they are not giving her the levels of pain medication that she was receiving in the hospital, because she was not feeling very chipper this morning. (When Aunt Mary does not want to talk, you KNOW she's in pain!) Plus, I am sure these first days of physical therapy are pretty painful, to say the least. Lupe, Don, and their children are all rallying around her with love. All prayers, good wishes, and happiness vibes will be greatly appreciated by her I am sure.

Good news - Mary Borrelli had her hip replacement surgery around noon today, and is no resting comfortably in her hospital room. We are all grateful to the doctors and staff at Advocate Christ Hospital, and to all the family and friends who have been so supportive. Mary is happy it's over, and in typical good spirits. More later - I was on jury duty again today and just got home, gotta go get a bite to eat and call Aunt Mary again to celebrate!

Received this update from Rickey Lynn last evening, about Lori: Dear Family and Friends, We had Lori at the doctor today, and so far, things could be a lot worse. The doctor thinks that the last time Lori was in the hospital, they damaged her bladder with the catheter, creating a massive infection in the area, which is causing bleeding in the bladder. They have put her on large doses of Cipro to take care of this part of the problem. The other source of bleeding seems to be somewhere in the intestines. Lori has an appointment with a gastroenterologist on Tuesday to have the other bleeding analyzed and hopefully stopped. We will keep you all updated as we have more information. As always, your prayers and good wishes are sincerely solicited. Rickey Lynn, Jennifer, June, David, and Kendell

Dear Family and Friends, It was found yesterday that Lori is having a problem with internal bleeding. She has a meeting this afternoon with the doctor to see what can be done about it. She is also having a problem holding any food down, so we will be discussing that as well. We will keep all of you posted as soon as we know anything. As always, your prayers and good wishes are sincerely solicited. Rickey Lynn, Jennifer, June, David, and Kendell

Found this pic of Mary Borrelli, flanked by her two cousins Louise and Mary, taken at the recent Family Reunion. Cousins rule!

Still waiting for Mary's blood clotting levels to come in line to do the hip replacement surgery. Now they are giving her plasma, and are hopeful that by late tonight they will be able to take her to the operating room.

Hi folks, some sad news today - Mary Borrelli fell yesterday and is now in Christ Hospital (Room 660W) awaiting hip replacement surgery. They can't do the surgery just yet because her INR levels (blood clotting factor) are way out of line, probably from Coumadin medication for her heart. They are giving her morphine now for the pain, and Vitamin K to try and get her INR levels in line so they can do the surgery. They will check the levels at 2pm today (Chicago time) to see if they can do surgery today or if they have to wait till tomorrow. Of course, being 93, the biggest risk of doing surgery is the anesthesia; other than that it is a "simple procedue" in the doc's estimation. Mary will of course not be able to return to her second-floor walk-up condo, so the plan right now is that after a week in the hospital she will stay with Don and Maria ("Lupe") Borrelli. They have a two story home so Mary will be in the downstairs living room. Lupe will take two week...

Aaaaah, cooler weather in Arizona, finally. We've had TWO whole days of "below-100-degree" weather, and are all looking forward to a cooler autumn. *sigh* There's a cornfield maze a few miles from here, off Loop 101, anyone want to join me to go through the maze? The last maze I visited was on the Dole Plantation in Hawaii; it was fantastic, the maze was in a huge pineapple shape. I think this local one is designed around Halloween; it's called the "Fear Maze" but should still be lots of fun to go through.

This just in from Rickey Lynn: Dear Family and Friends, Lori will be meeting on October 16th with the transplant surgeon. He is telling us that the transplant takes a fair amount of time to arrange, but he seems willing to start moving on it. The doctor tells us that in general, they discourage live liver transplants, because they must ethically check into why a person would be willing to donate their liver to another person, and they must look for any underlying reasons including paying the person, guilt complexes, etc. In the mean time, at least we are starting to see a little bit of progress in the right direction. We will keep you all posted as things happen. As always, your prayers and good wishes are sincerely solicited. Rickey Lynn, Jennifer, June, David, and Kendell

Rickey Lynn has been keeping us posted with emails as to Lori's condition, which had seemed to be deteriorating at an alarming rate over the past few weeks... to the point they had given her as little as 6 months to live. But now we have some encouraging news! Here's the latest from Rickey Lynn: Dear Family and Friends, This is totally nuts! Yesterday, the doctors were having us meet with Hospice of the Valley, and this morning they met again and reversed the decision. Their recommendation now is that we pursue "agressive" therapy, and they have recommended placing Lori on the transplant list! If we can find a living donor, she could have the surgery in as little as 2 months. We've been given information now on who to call on Monday morning to get her on the list. This is the best news we've had in a long, long time. As always, your prayers and good wishes are sincerely solicited. Lori can use all the help she can get now, and the power of prayer can always he...

Happy to share our joy with all! We are trying to get back into the swing of things and it's been tough getting out more info. Marleigh is doing well and her eating schedule has just changed from every 2 1/2 hours to every hour, hour and a half! Not much rest for the weary around here. But she is awesome, she is dreaming in my arms right now and she makes the cutest faces! Zac has been back to work since last Thursday and he is doing a great job. Our love and thanks to all for your support and blessings, Love, Tonya [and Zac] Zachary C. Coletti Concrete Canvas, LLC 772-418-0777 www.concretecanvasfl.com (Hey folks, check out Zac's website!!)

This just in from Cousin Dianne Moore: Hi everyone!!! I am a grandma now! Please read my son's email below for all the details and see the pictures of my new Granddaughter! I was in the labor/delivery room for the final 7 hours (!) and saw her being born...what an awesome experience!!! Love to all, Dianne [Below the pics is the letter from Zac and Tonya. The pics are all clickable to see a larger image.] Hello! Here are some pics of our new little girl, Marleigh Grace Sonya Coletti. She weighed in at a lean and mean 6lbs15oz., was 19.5" long and showed up at 2:01pm on Saturday September 1st! Tonya was in active labor for approximately 21 hours (8 at home and 13.5 at the hospital) and gave birth naturally without an epidural! She is an amazing woman. Although we did not name her for the meaning, the name Marleigh is derivative of Marlene which is Greek for "High Tower", We thought the name Grace was perfect and added Sonya because it was Tonya's Grandmother's ...

Bethany, aka Mommy Rohde (pictured to the left, holding Baby Jack a few months ago), sent us the two fabulous photos below, taken during Dave's recent visit to their home (near Seattle). The quasi-Michelangelo pic is of Dave and Baby Jack; the other is of Baby Jack and Mark playing on the floor... As Bethany wrote, "I sure love watching Dave and Mark jump right into being Uncles! They are so good with Jack and he loves them so much too! " Uncle Dave Whetstone and Baby Jack Uncle Mark Thomas and Baby Jack Rohde

We had a wonderful time with (son)David... more on that later... but it was tempered by the very sad news received on the same day of David's welcome home party. Larry Moore, 63, son of Ethel Moore, brother of Gloria, Janice, Ron, Joyce and Diana, passed away in Ardmore, Oklahoma on August 14, 2007. Larry was married twice and was "daddy" to six children, and I know they will miss him dearly. He had undergone heart surgery a couple of months before, and everyone thought he was doing so well. He went to the doc to get his release to return to work when he apparently suffered a heart attack. They took him to the hospital immediately but while they were still trying to do tests on him he passed away. Here is a link to the funeral home's website; you can click on his name to read his page and you can leave a message for the family using the website's guestbook. http://www.craddockfuneralhome.com/index.cfm I still remember Larry from my early teens, when we all went to...

SSgt David Whetstone is coming to town! He will arrive late Monday night. All friends and family are invited to stop by our house any time on Tuesday or Tuesday afternoon/evening to visit, say HI, and generally to welcome our Hero home. Dave is finally stationed back on Home Soil, in Washington State, after having done a tour in Iraq and then a year in Korea. He is the NCOIC (Non-Commissioned Officer In Charge) of resources at his shop in Washington. After arriving there, he bought a new car (Scion), got an off-base apartment (yaay, no more dorm!), made sure everything in his charge at the Shop was in order for an official base-wide Inspection, and then took off for a month vacation. He's in California now, visiting step-bro Mark, and then will come to Arizona for a five day visit. If you cannot stop by the house on Tuesday, you are most welcome to telephone 602-843-4049 and give him a verbal Hello and welcome home. We'll have snacks and drinks, and the swimming pool will b...

Everyone, please pray for Lori Gans. Her health has gone downhill fast and she is now at a point they are starting hospice care, we don't know how much longer her liver will hold out. Her immediate family is being as supportive as humanly possible and she herself seems fairly calm about it, but you know they are going through Hell. If anyone would like to call Lori, Rickey and the girls to offer support, let me know and I will give you their telephone number. As Rickey said, "All prayers are appreciated. No matter how you pray or who you call Him, God hears our prayers."

While in Chicago for the Family Reunion (photos of the reunion dinner itself yet to come), I stayed with my cousin Joan (Rizzo) Miller. Thanks, Cuz, for the fantastic hospitality! Joan's son Jimmy and his wonderful family (wife Kim and daughter Victoria) took me out for a day in "Chi-Town" that I will never forget. We visited Millenium Park with its famous Bean sculpture, Navy Pier (and of course rode on the ferris wheel!), the John Hancock Tower and the Sears Tower, Buckingham Fountain... not to mention our visit to Taste of Chicago... mmmm!! Here are a few pics. Click on a photo to see it larger. Victoria and me at Millenium Park, under the "Bean." Finally found a place to park the rental... hee hee - don't I WISH! Jimmy took this awesome pic just before we boarded the ferris wheel on Navy Pier. Family Pic: Jimmy, Jimmy, Joan, Kim, Me, and Victoria in the middle. The fellow on the far right slipped into the pic at the last moment and we all had a laugh ...

I thought it appropriate to re-read our Declaration of Independence today, thinking of all the things that have changed, and the things that remian the same. As I eat hot dogs and potato salad today, I am reminded of all those who have gone before to secure our freedom, and I am acutely aware of the continual sacrifices made to ensure that a free America continues. Here is the complete text of the Declaration of Independence, as it was published in The Pennsylvania Packet on July 8, 1776. The original spelling and capitalization have been retained. The Unanimous Declaration of the Thirteen United States of America (Adopted by Congress on July 4, 1776) When, in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bonds which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the laws of nature and of nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires...

Dave is back from his year in Korea! After spending two weeks at some specialized training in Florida, he is now at his new post at Fairchild Air Force Base in eastern Washington state... fairly near Spokane WA. Three items were big on his To-Do list: wheels, yakbox, and a place to crash off base. So he bought a new silver Scion to drive, a Razr cellphone to yak on, and moves in to his new apartment off base tomorrow. He is one Happy Camper, and glad to be on Home Soil. Welcome, David!! After he gets settled in, he hopes to take some time off work (like a MONTH) in August to visit family in Washington, California, and Arizona - yaaaay! I am finding it difficult to sit quietly and wait till August...

Last chance to throw your hat in the ring and join everyone for the extended Sanphillip / Rizzo / Levigne Family Reunion coming up on July first. Here are the details once again ~ hope to see you there! Hosts: Bruce Koenig / Mary Wroten Location: Palermo's Fine Italian Cuisine 4849 W. 95th Street Oak Lawn, IL When: Sunday, July 1, 2007 starting at 1:00pm Phone to RSVP: 623.581.2501 or 708.563.0507

Since June 9th Sherry has been working on the dig at Tel Zait, near Kibbutz Galon... The tel's treasure is an iron age village that they are hoping will reveal some secrets, since it has not been built upon over and over like larger populated areas were. (At some digs, you must dig down and down and down to get to iron age artifacts, whereas at this one they might find things just a few feet under the surface of the earth.) The first few days are spent clearing and cleaning the area, since the tel has not been worked for the past two years. During that time, they found a nest of snake eggs, a viper, and a palestinian cobra... and Sherry just LOVES snakes (NOT)! But the snakes were mitigated by the finding of a bronze arrowhead and an amulet of the "Eye of Horus" -- and they haven't even really started "digging" yet. Sherry's expertise is in pottery so of course she is looking forward to some really interesting and exciting work. She'll be at this dig...

When I was little, my father taught me right from wrong. Sometimes by showing me literally what to do, sometimes with his right hand applied to my backside when I hadn't gotten it right. He taught me to listen to my conscience, and to always be aware of a Power higher than me, much higher. Didn't matter what I called it, but recognize that I am not the Be-All End-All. He taught me to respect my elders, and to glean from them what wisdom I could. "Sit down and shut up" comes to mind. He taught me compassion by example, showing kindness and tenderness even at what I deemed the most unexpected times. He said if he'd never personally experienced a person's difficulties, he must show extra compassion because he could not know how terrifyingly difficult it might be for that person. He taught me to appreciate cultural differences by taking me to other countries, and letting me experience the joy of learning about them, making new friends and enjoying the cultures, an...

Today would have been Uncle Tony's 91st birthday. We continue to mourn with Joan and Tony Jr over the loss of their dad. Joan is going to the gravesite today to put some fresh flowers on it and "talk" with her dad. Uncle Tony passed away while I was in Israel, so I was unable to be at the funeral in Chicago, but I understand from all that it was a beautiful ceremony, and that Joan was a rock of strength. I suspect that it is only now that the reality of it all is hitting home for her. I will see you soon at the upcoming Family Reunion, Joan... hang tight till I can hug you in person. I love you.

Have you wondered what happened to those cousins you haven't seen in years? Or wondered how many cousins you haven't met? If you would like to see them, then join us for a family reunion! We'll be meeting at Palermo's Fine Italian Cuisine [in Chicago] on July 1st at 1 pm. Lunch ($20 each, send your check to Bruce) will be served family style and will be Roasted Chicken, Roast Sirloin of Beef, Mostaccioli with Marinara Sauce, and Italian Sausage and Peppers. After all, WE ARE ITALIAN (well, some of us anyway)! Please pass along the invitation to any and all in the extended Clan - we have about 50 attending now, and are looking for more! Hosts: Bruce Koenig / Mary Wroten Location: Palermo's Fine Italian Cuisine 4849 W. 95th Street, Oak Lawn, IL When: Sunday, July 1, 1:00pm Phone to RSVP: 623.581.2501 / 708.563.0507

June is going to be a busy month! Here's the lineup: (If I missed someone, let me know and we can add it to the list straight away!) June 04 - Ariel and Efrat Whetstone, married 1996 June 10 - Thomas Marion Tate was born in 1918 (miss you every day, Daddy) June 12 - Aubrey Tate born 1988 (and now pregnant!) June 14 - June Tate born 1981 June 23 - Matt Walker born 1974 June 26 - Edith Tate-Hern born 1922 June 30 - Daveena (Martinez) Walker born 1987

I cannot say it better than this wonderful woman did. She is a young military wife whose husband is deployed, fighting the war. To see her original post click this link: Every Day . Her blog address is http://sissyben.blogspot.com . Here's what she wrote: Monday, May 28, 2007 Every Day For a week or more I've been thinking about my post for today. I wanted to write something inspiring, something worthy of the sacrifices of the men and women who have served and fallen. Worthy of their families who lost them.There quite simply are no words.Today I was in public for awhile, around "normal" people. I overheard a conversation of some ladies behind me... "Oh! I forgot today was Memorial Day!" one lady said with a giggle. I wanted to bitch slap her, but I just kept walking.This morning I realized that for some of us, Memorial Day isn't just a Monday in May. For some of us, Memorial Day is every day. Every day I see the news of troops falling in combat and I cr...

Hi Susan, I wanted to get this picture to you – Brittany and I put a flag at your dad’s gravesite this morning. We were there with the Girl Scouts helping to put flags on the grave sites [for Memorial Day]. Take care! Melonie Melonie, We are all moved by your kindness, for honoring Dad and also for teaching Brittany the importance of honoring our veterans. Thank You sounds so trivial, but please know it comes from my heart. Love, Susan

They make the sunset look good, don't they?

in the surf...

Newly Weds and their parents

The wedding party, left to right: Shelley's 2 sisters, Caitlin Chambers and Maid Of Honor-Erin Chambers, Shelley & Paul Lowe, Best Man-Nathan Lowe and Seth Glenn.

Under the canopy... Paul and Shelley Lowe

Paul Lowe married Shelley Chambers April 28th 2007, on the beach in Fort Walton Beach Florida at sunset. It was beautiful! Check out the photos above, posted by (Mom) Kerry (Walker) Lowe.

Saw this amazing bird in our backyard at dawn - so beautiful. The OTHER birds however were quite upset at his appearance, and the bunnies went running for cover. Anyone have any idea what kind of bird he is? From his head and legs it is obvious he is a raptor of some kind, but whether he's a hawk, eagle, or what I have no idea. But it made my day just watching him! (Click on an image to enlarge it.)

Acacia is graduating from High School! Is this girl beautiful AND smart, or what??!! Of course, no grandma-type prejudice here.... Click on the photo to see it larger.

On the right is my long, long, long time friend Mona... had a great time visiting with her, but there just was not enough TIME.

We also had a lovely visit with Uncle Richard et al...

Adi washed the dishes after Shabbat dinner (!!!!) while others relaxed, read the newspaper, or watched Eran teach Susan to play Mancala.

Deborah made the challah bread and Vernon gave the blessing... Deborah, Eran, Ariel, Efrat, Adi... Sherry, Papa, Mom, Deborah, Eran, Ariel, Efrat, Adi...